Washing machine and method of washing

• US 20050268404A1
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniels Equipment Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Daniels Equipment Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Laithwaite, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,430,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/158
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/02 Characteristics of laundry or load
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/62 Stopping or disabling machine operation
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/001 using ozone

Abstract

A washing machine comprising: a washing volume for receiving laundry; an ozone inlet for providing ozone to the washing volume; and an ozone outlet for receiving gaseous ozone from the washing volume characterised in that the washing machine further comprises an ozone sensor for measuring the gaseous ozone received by the ozone outlet.

Claims

1. A washing machine comprising:

a washing volume for receiving laundry;

an ozone inlet for providing ozone to the washing volume; and

an ozone outlet for receiving gaseous ozone from the washing volume characterised in that

the washing machine further comprises an ozone sensor for measuring the gaseous ozone received by the ozone outlet.

2. A washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ozone sensor is located within the washing volume.

3. A washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ozone sensor is proximate to the ozone outlet.

4. A washing machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a controller adapted to receive at least one ozone measurement from the ozone sensor during a washing cycle to determine the degree of disinfection by the laundry washing cycle.

5. A washing machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the washing cycle comprises at least two rinse stages and the at least one ozone measurement is made during the second rinse stage.

6. A washing machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the controller is adapted to receive a plurality of ozone measurements from the ozone sensor during the second rinse cycle to determine the degree of disinfection of laundry by the washing cycle.

7. A washing machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein the controller is adapted to receive ozone measurements from the start and the end of the second rinse cycle.

8. A washing machine as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a display device connected to the controller for displaying the ozone measurements received by the controller.

9. A washing machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein tie display device comprises at least one of a printer or monitor.

10. A washing machine as claimed in claim 2 comprising computation means connected to the controller for determining the degree of disinfection of the laundry from the ozone measurement received by the controller.

11. A washing machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein the computation means is adapted to compare the ozone measurements with predetermined values to determine the degree of disinfection of the laundry.

12. A washing machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein the computation means is adapted to produce a pass or a fail signal depending upon the determined degree of disinfection of the laundry.

13. A washing machine as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a lock out mechanism for preventing further use of the washing machine, the lock out mechanism being connected to the computation means and being adapted to be activated on receipt of a fail signal from the computation means.

14. A method of washing comprising the steps of

(i) providing a washing machine comprising:

a washing volume for receiving laundry,

an ozone inlet for providing ozone to the washing volume; and

an ozone outlet for receiving gaseous ozone from the washing volume characterised in that

the washing machine further comprises an ozone sensor for measuring the gaseous ozone received by the ozone outlet;

(ii) commencing a washing cycle

(iii) measuring the concentration of ozone gas with the ozone sensor at at least one point during the washing cycle; and

(iv) determining the degree of disinfection of laundry in the washing machine from the at least one measurement of ozone concentration

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the washing cycle comprises at least two rinse cycles, and the at least one ozone measurement is made during the second rinse cycle.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the ozone concentration is measured at the start and end of the second rinse cycle.

17. A method of washing as claimed in claim 14 wherein the step of determining the degree of disinfection comprises the step of comparing the at least one ozone measurement with at least one predetermined value.

18. A method of washing as claimed in claim 14 firer comprising the step of locking out the washing machine to prevent further use of the washing machine if the degree if disinfection does not meet a predetermined level.